It: Welcome to Derry is off to a strong start for HBO Max, with the series having just become the streamer’s third-best premiere. Created by Jason Fuchs, Andy Muschietti, and Barbara Muschietti, the Stephen King adaptation serves as a prequel to the two It movies, released in 2017 and 2019.
Both It movies were box office hits, and audiences are evidently still interested in the franchise, as Welcome to Derry just garnered 5.7 million viewers across its first three days of availability, per Deadline. This figure, which includes both the HBO linear channel and HBO Max, makes it the third-most-watched series premiere of all time for the streaming service.
The only shows to beat the new King adaptation are House of the Dragon and The Last of Us, which premiered in 2022 and 2023, respectively. This impressive premiere viewership comes after HBO confirmed that Welcome to Derry episode 2 will premiere early on the streamer for Halloween, landing at 3 a.m. ET on Friday, October 31.
Taking place in 1962, Welcome to Derry chronicles the return of Pennywise the Clown as he torments the residents of Derry, Maine, just as a couple and their son move into town. Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as the killer clown from the films, with other cast members including Jovan Adepo, James Remar, Clara Stack, Matilda Lawler, Jack Molloy Legault, and Amanda Christine, among others.
The strong viewership for the series accompanies a generally positive reception from critics. The prequel has been praised for its shocking moments, unsettling atmosphere, and its exploration of social themes. In his It: Welcome to Derry review for ScreenRant, Zach Moser awards the show seven out of 10, writing:
It’s not a novel story, and the uninspired directing and the occasional confusing leaps of logic and time can make centering yourself difficult. What IT: Welcome to Derry does offer is an unrelenting amount of horror and carnage. While none of it is as surprising as Pennywise bursting out of the movie screen like he did in IT, the scares are finely crafted and purposeful. Horror fans will welcome a horror TV show willing to throw everything at the wall.
Welcome to Derry‘s strong initial viewership figures bodes well for a potential season 2. Nothing has been announced just yet, however, and another season will only get the green light if the show continues its impressive performance over the coming weeks.
With a Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter score of 80%, though, most viewers are clearly enjoying what the It prequel has to offer. This could be a sign that most viewers will continue to tune in for the remaining seven episodes, which will end with the finale on December 14.
The HBO Max series arrives in the midst of a big year for King. Two major movie adaptations in the form of The Monkey and The Long Walk have already been released and found success, and Edgar Wright’s The Running Man will hit theaters next month.
It remains to be seen whether It: Welcome to Derry‘s strong performance will continue over the next seven weeks, but adaptations of the horror author’s work are evidently still popular with general viewers.
Following this Friday’s early episode, new episodes of It: Welcome to Derry will release on HBO Max and HBO on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
- Release Date
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October 26, 2025
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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Andy Muschietti
